Automatic coupling device.



F. J. PITCH & G. BAUSBAOK.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1912.

Patented July 30,1912.

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1,034,352, Patented July so, 1912.

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AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE. APPLICATION P ILIBD FEB. 20, 1912.

Patnted July so, 1912.

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mmsssEs FRANK J. FITCH AND GEORGE BAUSIBAGK, 0F POTTSV ILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July so, 1912.

Application filed February 20, 1912. Serial No. 678,774.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, FRANK J. FITCH and GEORGE BAUSBACK, citizens of the United States, and residents of Pottsville, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvani'a, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Coupling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in automatic coupling devices, and it consists in the constructions, combinations, and arrangements herein described and claimed;

An object of our invention is to provide a device which will auton'iatically connect the main train pipe section, the steam pipes for heating the cars, and air pipe for signaling purposes and electric circuits for lighting or signaling. Y

A. further object of our invention is to provide a coupling head having a removable plate in which the gaskets are disposed, thereby facilitating the removal and replacement of the gaskets.

A further object of our invention is to provide means for directing the coupling heads so that they will turn simultaneously with the turning of the wheels. \Ve effect this by mounting the coupling devices upon a pivot and connecting them with the trucks in such a manner that the coupling heads will be turned in the proper direct-ion even though the wheels may be on a curved track.

A further object of our invention is to provide automatic means for effecting the coupling of the train pipe, steam pipe, etc, part of these means consisting in the ordinary hose pipe connections so that in case one of the cars should not be equipped with our improved automatic coupling device, the connection could be effected manually in the ordinary manner.

Other objects and advz'intages will appear in the following specification, a'nd, thc novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the ill'llKlVltHl claims.

()ur invention is illustrated in the a'ccom panying drawings forming part. oi this application inv which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views. and in Wllltll- Figure l is a bottom view of the device as applied to cars, Fig. 2 is a front view of the device, Fig. 3 is a secl' a along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through two coupler heads in their operative positions, Fig. 5 is a section along the l ne 5-5 of Fig. 4, Fi 6 is a perspective view of the gasket holding plate, 7 is a section approximately along the line 7-7 shape shown in Figs. 2 ands, this recess tapering inwardly as shown. 'On the opposite side of the head is'a tongue T arranged to enter the recess 0 so as to guide the intermediate portion of the head through which the air and steam conduits pass into proper position for uniting the conduits in the two heads.

Between the recess 0 and the tongue T of each coupler head is a recess arranged to receive a plate such as that shown at P in Fig. 6. This plate is provided with pins 32 adapted to extend through a portion of the coupler head as shown in Fig. 5, and to be secured to the head by means of cotter pins 7, thus holding the plate securely in position, This pl te P is preferably made of wrought iron and is perforated in the manner shown in Fig. 5 to provide openings for the resilient gaskets G, G and G". These gaskets are preferably provided with shoulders to prevent their slipping out. The

body portion C of the head is provided with three cylindrical integral extensions f, f and f which form in fact terminal pipes for the three passages F F", and F respectively. Thegasket G of the steam passage F is preferably lined with a heat resisting material a such as asbestos, in order to pre vent the destruction of the'gasket by the high temperature of the strain. The pas- .F and F extend through the head and. comi'nunicate with the ordinary coupling devices of the cam type, as shown at K and K in Fig. 5, while the central passage F is connected wi h a similar coupling I 'i. The plate B also carries a pair of spring-pressed terminals such. as those .hown at. S, these terminals being in elec- 40 air which operates the signal.

the contacts e-on' each coupling head Wlll 45 wires W trical connection with the wires WV which pass through openings in the plate G, as

shown in Fig.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be 5 seen that to the bottom of the car, such as B,

is secured a housing H, which forms a guide fol-ahead L, which is normally thrust forward by aspring M. Pivotally connected to the head L by a pin E is the coupler arm D which bears the headC. This permits the coupler head to have a lateral movement. The outer end of the arm D is supported by a plate Q, which is secured to the bottom of the can. Attached to eyes all on each side of the arm D are rods 4" which in turn are secured tosprings R, the ends of the springs being attached to the trucks V.

- Each car is provided with an air signal pipefX', a main train pipe X and a steam pipe X which are connected by the hose pipes m',-05'-', and m to the coupling heads K, K and K respectively, when the automatic coupling1 device is being used. The parts being ten in their normal positions, as

shownin the drawing, it is obvious that when two cars come together the tongues T will enter the recesses c in the companion coupling head for centering these parts, and that on the coupling of the cars by the coupler' Y (see Fig. 2) the coupling C will be pressed inwardly against the tension of the springs M. Furthermore, the coupling heads will center so that the gaskets G" G G etc, will be pressed together in the manner shown in Fig. 4:, and the respective passages will register, thereby forming a complete connection through the coupling heads, of the pipes for, the steam, the pipes for theni'ain train line and the pipes for the Moreover,

tacts S. If the cars should happen to be on a curved ortion of thetrack then the cou pling hea s will be turned by their connection with the trucks so as to maintain positionmidway between the wheels. in other 5 words, no matter whether the track is curved or straight, the coupling heads (I always in a position to engage the com ion head on the adjacent car.

In Fig. 8 we have shown a modified means oi movin the coupling heads when trucks turned from their normal position by the curvature of the track. This construction consists of the employment of pulleys Z attached to the bot-tom of the car,

5 over which chains 2 pass to the springs R.

This construction is used in certain freight cars in which the use of the rod 9" would be difficult.

The advantages which arise from our inyention are at once apparent. The wrought lIOIl plate P may be easily removed by taking out'the cotter pins and pulling the plate outwardly and the gaskets Cr, Ur and G may be removed and replaced in a minimum of time. place by the shoulders g, and there is never the danger of a gasket working loose as in the ordinary construction. This and other ady antages are at once apparent.

.If it should be desirable or necessary to connect acar having our improved coupling device with one which is not so provided, then the hose pipes at, a and :0 may be connected directly to the corresponding pipes,

since they are provided with the usual coupling heads such as K, K and K already described.

We are aware that various forms of the device based upon the same general plan might be made, but we consider as our own all such modifications as fairlyfall within the spirit and the scope of the invention.

We claim 1. A. coupling head having a guide recess,

.a centering ton no and a central recess between said gui e recess and said tongue, a removable plate disposed in said central rccess, said removable plate being provided with gasket openings, resilient gaskets in said openings, spring contacts carried by said plate, and means for securing said plate to said head, said means comprising integral pins carried by the plate and arranged to extend through portions of said head, and cotter pins for holding said integral pins in place.

2. The combination with'a pair of cars, each provided with a series of pipes, and a hose connection at the end of each pipe, of a coupling head pivotally carried by each car, said coupling head comprising a guide recess, a centering tongue, and a central recess between said guide recess and said tongue, a removable metal plate disposed in said central recess and provided with openings for the reception of gaskets, said headbeing provided with a plurality of passages, each of said passages communicating at one end with one of the openings in said plate and a stationary coupling member *urried by said coupling head at the opposite end of each passage,each of said hose members being connected witlfonc of said last named coupling members, and means connected with the trucks of each car for swinging its cou pling head into operative alincment.

The combination with a pair of cars, each provided with a series of pipes, and a hose connection, at the end of each pipe, of a coupling head pivotally carried by each car,

The gaskets are held firmly in said coupling head comprising a guide recess, a centering tongue, and a central recess between said guide recess and said tongue, a

removable metal plate disposed in said ce1iu-al recess and provided with openings for the reception of gaskets, said head being provided with a plurality of passages, each of said passages communicating at one end with one of the openings in said plate and a stationary coupling member carried by said coupling head at the opposite end of each passage, each of said hose members he- FRANK J. FITCH. GEORGE BAUSBACK. Witnesses:

M. C. KRnnmR, SDIEIF SAPIRO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G. 

